ANDERSON, Robert, the fourth son of William Anderson, and of Margaret Melrose his wife, was born at Carnwath, in Lanarkshire, on the 7th of January 1750. His father was a feuar, that is, a person who possessed some small parcels of real property by the tenure of a perpetual lease. His first destination was for the church: in the year 1767 he was sent to the university of Edinburgh, and in due time was enrolled among the students of divinity. His school-fellow, James Graeme, who had entered the university at the same time, and with the same views, died of consumption in 1772, in the 23d year of his age; and, after a short interval, his faithful friend published a collection of Poems on several occasions, by James Graeme. Edinb. 1773, 12mo. About this period he relinquished the study of divinity, and betook himself to the study of medicine. He was for a short time employed as surgeon to the dispensary at Bamborough Castle in Northumberland; and in a neighbouring town he then formed connections which had no small influence on his future destiny. On the 25th of September 1777, he married Anne, the daughter of John Gray, Esq. of Alnwick, who was related to the noble family of that name. Returning to Scotland he took the degree of M.D. at St Andrews on the 20th of May 1778, after having been duly examined by the professor of physic. He now began to practise as a physician at Alnwick; but his general habits were rather those of speculation than exertion, and a moderate provision, acquired by his marriage, had emancipated him from the necessity of professional labour. In 1784 he finally returned to Edinburgh, where he continued to reside for the period of 46 years, in a condition of life removed from affluence, but perfectly compatible with genuine independence and comfort. His amiable and affectionate wife died of consumption on the 25th of December 1785, in the 39th year of her age. In 1793, after having remained a widower for eight years, he married Margaret, the daughter of Mr David Dall, master of Yester school in the county of Haddington.
For several years his attention was occupied with his edition of The Works of the British Poets, with Prefaces Biographical and Critical, which was published at Edinburgh, and extends to 14 large octavo volumes. The earliest volume, which is now the second in the series, was printed in 1792-3; the 13th was printed in 1795, and another volume was added in 1807. He was frequently solicited to revise
his Lives of the Poets, and publish them in a separate form, but after having collected some materials for such a work, he finally abandoned the design. In the mean time he had published The Miscellaneous Works of Tobias Smollett, M.D., with Memoirs of his Life and Writings. Edinb. 1796, 6 vols. 8vo. But the most able and elaborate of his productions is the third edition of his Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., with Critical Observations on his Works. Edinb. 1815, 8vo. The same service which he rendered to Dr Smollett he afterwards extended to Dr Moore, having published The Works of John Moore, M.D., with Memoirs of his Life and Writings. Edinb. 1820, 7 vols. 8vo. At an earlier period he had published The Poetical Works of Robert Blair; containing the Grave, and a Poem to the Memory of Mr Law: to which is prefixed the Life of the Author. London, 1794, 8vo. And his latest publication was The Grace and other Poems, by Robert Blair; to which are prefixed some Account of his Life, and Observations on his Writings. Edinb. 1826, 12mo.
Dr Anderson contributed his ready aid to many different publications, and was always influenced, not by the love of money but by the love of literature. With many eminent men in England, Ireland, and America, he maintained a literary correspondence; and having survived most of his lettered contemporaries, he enjoyed the esteem and consideration of a second and even of a third generation. No part of his character was more conspicuous than his uniform and unabating zeal to promote the success of young men who discovered any promise, however moderate, of literary talent; and some of the more distinguished writers of our own age and nation were not without their obligations to his disinterested friendship. Mr Campbell dedicated to him his earliest and most popular publication, The Pleasures of Hope. Thomas Brown, John Leyden, and Alexander Murray, who all died at too early an age, were among the most eminent of his young friends. For Dr Brown, who became professor of moral philosophy in the university of Edinburgh, he entertained a very cordial esteem, which suffered no abatement or interruption. Another prominent feature of his mind was his ardent regard for the civil and religious liberties of mankind. This characteristic he displayed from the first years of manhood till the last day of his earthly existence.
His bodily frame had never been robust; but the uniform temperance and regularity of his habits contributed to prolong a life which was marked by cheerfulness and benevolence. His faculties, mental and corporeal, betrayed few or no symptoms of old age. During the greater part of his last winter he was confined to his own house by what was considered as a common cold, and was attended by his friend and contemporary Dr Hamilton. Of the immediate prospect of death, he spoke, not merely with resignation, but even with cheerfulness; with the subdued but confident hope of one who had long and habitually reposed on the assurances of the Christian faith. He died on Saturday, the 20th of February 1830, after having completed the 80th year of his age; and, according to his own directions, his remains were interred in Carnwath churchyard. His eldest daughter, Anne Margaret, was married in 1810 to David Irving, LL.D., and died in 1812, leaving an only son. His second daughter, Margaret Susannah, lived to deplore the loss of a parent whose declining years she had soothed by the most exemplary attention to all his wants and wishes. (D. L.)